Mishaba Laluo in China

The Mishaba Laluo have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

The Mishaba Laluo are the largest Western Yi group in China. Until the 1950s, present-day Weishan and Nanjian counties were one administrative unit called Menghua. Since the beginning of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618) Menghua had been inhabited almost exclusively by the Laluo. As a result, the Mishaba Laluo are often called Menghua or Menghuazu by their neighbors. This group could be said to have two selfnames in their language: Laluo and Mishaba. Laluo denotes their ethnic identity while Mishaba denotes their regional identity. "This people has, since ancient times, been 'the Laluo from the land of Misha', and, in their hearts, consider themselves as nothing else - certainly not 'Yi'."


History

Although they had exclusively inhabited the Menghua region since the eighth century, by the start of the Qing Dynasty (1644) the Laluo made up just 70% of the population. Largescale Han migrations to the area during the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries made the Laluo a minority in their homeland and forced many to seek refuge in the mountains for the first time, in order to retain their culture and identity.


Traditions keep them together as a people and accepting outside spiritual beliefs is seen as a betrayal of their people.
Customs

In Weishan County, the Laluo celebrate the Festival of the Tree King on the eighth day of the second lunar month. The entire community gathers around a large tree that stands outside the village. A black piglet is sacrificed and the pig's front teeth are offered to the spirit of the tree. The rest of the pig is cooked and eaten by the people, who sing a song in praise of the power of the Tree god.


Religion

Most of the Mishaba Laluo are animists. On the fifth day of the second lunar month they hold a ceremony called Calling Back the Spirit of the Rice. A young man dressed in a goatskin is responsible for making contact with the spirit. He cracks a whip and shouts toward the hills. If an echo is heard, the spirit is believed to have entered their presence. In one region around Weibao in Weishan County the Mishaba Laluo engage in Daoism, which they inherited from the Chinese centuries ago. Some Laluo have even become Daoist priests.


Christianity

The extent of Christianity among the Mishaba Laluo is uncertain, but there are believed to be a small number of Christians, mostly among assimilated Laluo. The majority of this people group, however, have no knowledge of the gospel and no contact with any Christian communities.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Laluo, Mishaba in China.


Profile Source:   Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Laluo, Mishaba
People Name in Country Laluo, Mishaba
Natural Name Mishaba Laluo
Pronunciation mee-SHA-bah LAH-loo
Alternate Names Laloba; Lalu; Lalupo; Menghua; Menghuazu; Misabo; Misan; Misanru; Misanxu; Misapha; Misapo; Misaru; Mishaba; Pingtou Lolo; Turen; Tutiaozi; Xishan Yi
Population this Country 686,000
Population all Countries 686,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 14
People ID 18538
ROP3 Code 114155
ROP25 Code 304563
ROP25 Name Laluo
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 16  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country More than 575,000 Mishaba Laluo people are distributed throughout 16 counties of north central Yunnan Province. They are concentrated in the counties of southern Dali Prefecture, northern Lincang Prefecture, and eastern Baoshan Prefecture. Jingdong County in northern Simao Prefecture is also represented by a large number of Mishaba Laluo.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 16  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country More than 575,000 Mishaba Laluo people are distributed throughout 16 counties of north central Yunnan Province. They are concentrated in the counties of southern Dali Prefecture, northern Lincang Prefecture, and eastern Baoshan Prefecture. Jingdong County in northern Simao Prefecture is also represented by a large number of Mishaba Laluo..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Map of Laluo, Mishaba in China Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.10 %)
0.15 %
Ethnic Religions
94.85 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Lalo, Dongshanba (686,000 speakers)
Language Code yik   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Lalo, Dongshanba (686,000 speakers)
Language Code yik   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Lalo, Dongshanba

Primary Language:  Lalo, Dongshanba

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.